what do these symptoms point to?

[onegirloneboy]

I have been to several doctors and they all say something different and none of their "solutions" are helping. I really respect the knowledge of the ladies on this board so I though I would see it any of you have any more ideas...

I have been experiencing the following for the last 3 weeks:
Constant Nausea
Bloating
Unable to eat more than 3 or 4 bites of food without gagging and feeling awful
It is worse at night
The nausea is somewhat relieved by laying on my left side
Extreme Fatigue
Pain in my ovary (most likely endometrosis)

I feel so sick all the time it is hard to function and be a good mom to my kids. I have lost 8lbs in the last 2 weeks.

I had been feeling nausea at night for a few weeks before like I may be getting a stomach bug but it resolved after sleeping. It really got bad after a stressful situation including the death of my sister in law and my son having a seizure and being put in the hospital all on the same day.

I have PCOS that I am trying to control with diet and exercise and stage 3 endometrosis.

Thanks!

[lapis]

are you sure that you aren't pregnant?

[dairy2dogs]

For me those symptoms were cronic appendicitis, which most doctors don't believe in. The problem with your symptoms, and mine, is they can be caused by lots of different things. Keep going back, or to new doctors, until you find the answer. I wish you luck.

[Annie Mac]

I vote stress. You say this is all in the last 3 weeks, meaning in the last 3 weeks your SIL has died and your son had a seizure? That's a lot to deal with, and when the mind feels stress, the body commonly reacts with adrenaline (ie some degree of fight or flight). When your body is in this condition, eating and digesting food is not a high priority, hence nausea, bloating, not being able to eat, weight loss, etc.

What tests, if anyway, have the doctors run? While their tests may not tell you what is going on, at least they can tell you what is NOT going on.

Another possibility is a hiatus hernia, but you'd probably have heartburn as well.

I hope you feel better soon!

[onegirloneboy]

No, I am not pregnant. That was the first thing I thought of after ovarian cancer.

I had my appendix removed about 6 years ago. It ruptured while they were in doing my lap to DX and remove my endo.

Stress is a very likely culprit! But how long would it take to resolve? Things have calmed down a lot and I would think things would be feeling better not getting worse...

My endocronologist thought it was gastroparesis from uncontroled sugars because I am not taking the glucophage anymore but the med he gave me for the gastroparesis, Reglan, didn't help and the side effects I am not willing to live with.

[sbgrace]

Gall bladder?

They did check for ovarian cancer, right? Unlikely but with the symptoms a must to rule out.

Do you have gastroparesis? All is consistent with that as you likely know. Do you have other health issues and, if so, anything that would connect this stuff together? Is your son healthy outside of the seizures? My son (and we assume I) have a metabolic condition that can cause gastroparesis and there are tentative links research (and lots in experience--including mine) between PCOS and mitochondrial disorder. Fatigue is a hallmark. Gastroparesis is one of the symptoms in some people. But it affects three body systems so if all you're dealing with is PCOS (and endo) and all your son has is seizures this wouldn't be likely as an explanation.

[onegirloneboy]

Rachelle- I have no other health issues beyond the tummy stuff, PCOS and Endo. My son's siezure was a febrile seizure. We had to go to the ER because he was in the baby pool when it happened and went under the water.

I am trying to get into a GI specialist but the waiting list is 4 months long....

Anyone know a good GI specialist in the Houston Area?

[pianojazzgirl]

Did they rule out ovarian cancer?

[heathergirl67]

I agree that it might be stress. I was in a similar situation and it was all anxiety related. It lasted for MONTHS. What was weird is that I didn't feel anxious or stressed at all! Whenever I was, it seems like my brain was directing the anxiety into a physical manifestation instead of an emotion. I finally figured it out when I was doing acupuncture and this calming image just popped in my head. As soon as it did all of my pain was gone. So whenever I'd feel the pain (or maybe nausea in your case) I would stop whatever I was doing, close my eyes, think of a calming image, and really try to get into a zen place. It sounds hocus pocus, I know, but it really worked for me. My pain came less and less often. At this point it's practically non-existant. And when it does come I can get rid of it in less than 30 seconds. It's amazing how your mind can manifest stress! I hope you can figure your issues out. GL!

[onegirloneboy]

Yes, they did rule out ovarian cancer.

[pianojazzgirl]

Originally Posted by onegirloneboy

Yes, they did rule out ovarian cancer.

Good.

Interesting that a pp brings up acupuncture. I just had my fist visit with a holistic dentist the other day and she suggested that my symptoms (I've had a bunch of so-far-undiagnosed symptoms going on for half a year) might have anxiety (perhaps traced back to a specific anxiety-producing event as long ago as a year) as their root cause. She suggested that I take some uninterrupted time to reflect on all that's happened in my recent past to see if anything comes to light. And she strongly recommended acupuncture as well. I figure it's worth trying anyway.

[chlobo]

This is going to sound really strange but do you eat dairy? Have you ever been tested for lactose intolerance?

I ask b/c I had similar symptoms off and on for years. I'd go through weeks feeling nauseous and unable to eat. Sometimes I'd feel like I wasn't digesting. After a bunch of more invasive tests, the third GI I saw decided to do a lactose test and it turns out I was lactose intolerant. I believe my initial symptoms were triggered by a very stressful athletic event where I got majorly dehydrated. Perhaps yours was triggered by your stress.

[Liquesce]

Have you had your gallbladder checked out? I know the famous symptom is more cramping or burning type pain, but gallbladder problems *can* cause chronic nausea as well, and gallbladder problems in general do tend to worsen immediately after eating and/or at night.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by sbgrace

Gall bladder?

My first thought. Definitely causes nausea.

[sbgrace]

I put it above but didn't flesh it out about gallbladder-my mother's symptoms were very much like yours though she wasn't losing weight and she also had reflux. You want this looked at.

Food intolerance.

If you don't find the issue otherwise I'd consider a Metametrix comprehensive stool test--it will look at food issues, parasites (some like b. hominus can cause what you describe and are chronic), other infections, digestion, and lots of other stuff. If you do it get stool from beginning , middle, and especially end of stool--important for parasites. Metametrix and Genova both look for b. hominus and other similar parasites that are quite common and cause stuff that you see.

[Learning_Mum]

Could it be an ectopic pregnancy?

[Bea]

Helicobacter pylori?

[mama2toomany]

I have had those symptoms

in the extreme case it was my appendix, then something like that happened again and it was my gallbladder.

Those are my only two guesses besides pregnancy.

[sbgrace]

Metametrix will also look for h. pylori.

If it's not gallbladder (I think it might be) then I'd do that test if at all possible.

[onegirloneboy]

Thank you all so much!!!
I will look into all these suggestions!